This invention relates generally to enclosures for electronic equipment, and more specifically to a housing for a handheld battery-operated transceiver.
Portable battery-operated transceivers, which are frequently operated in adverse environments, require housings which provide the circuitry of the transceiver with protection from mechanical shock, and from contaminants and harmful elements such as dirt, grime and moisture frequently present where the transceivers are used. Consequently, a transceiver housing should be constructed so as to be mechanically rugged and sealed against outside elements.
Since handheld portable transceivers are intended to be operated while held in one hand, it is desirable that the housings of such units allow easy and natural manipulation of the transceiver controls while held in the operating position. Consequently, the housings should be dimensioned so as to easily and comfortably fit within the hand. Abrupt edges, particularly along the rear surface of the unit, which could result in discomfort while handling the unit, should be avoided. Furthermore, the housing should be light in weight for ease of carrying and handling. Furthermore, the housing should allow the internal components of the unit to be so arranged as to avoid a concentration of weight near the ends of the unit, to avoid the transceiver being unbalanced, and therefore awkward to use.
One problem of battery-operated transceivers is the necessity of removing the batteries for charging or replacement. In those previous constructions wherein the batteries have been contained in a compartment, it was necessary to provide a relatively complex and expensive door arrangement to enclose the batteries, and a relatively complex and expensive contact arrangement to establish electrical communication between the batteries and the transceiver circuitry.
The present invention avoids this arrangement by providing a housing wherein the batteries are contained within a removable battery pack. The battery pack is secured within a recess in the housing at one end by a simple tab arrangement, and at the other end by a simple user-actuated latch which cooperates with the contacts to latch the battery pack in position. Electrical contact is provided by two spring contacts adjacent the upper tab. Removal of the battery pack requires only actuation of the latch, the spring contacts functioning to assist the operator in removing the battery pack.
When seated in the recess of the transceiver housing, the exposed surface of the battery pack cooperates with the exterior surface of the housing to form a comfortable easily grippable surface.
This is accomplished without undesirable complication of the housing, thereby achieving a low cost of manufacture.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the invention to provide a new and improved housing for a battery operated portable handheld transceiver.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a housing for a portable transceiver which protects the transceiver against mechanical shock and contaminants.
It is still another important object of this invention to provide a housing for a portable transceiver having a removable battery pack which includes an economical combined latch and contact arrangement for holding the pack in position in the housing.